Family control, external governance mechanisms, and dividend payouts

Abstract

This paper examines the ways in which three external governance mechanisms, namely market preferences, institutional investors, and debtholder monitoring, influence dividend payout decisions under a family-governance system. We find that family firms issue lower dividends when the dividend premium is high in the market. Institutional investors and family-controlled governance mechanisms interact to increase dividend payouts. Family firms under greater debtholder monitoring pay out more cash to shareholders. Our findings generate important policy implications.